The Vermont Green Home Alliance has completed the guide Appraised Value and Energy Efficiency: Getting It Right for building design professionals, builders, home performance contractors, appraisers, lenders, and real estate agents. This guide is intended to help professionals prepare for the increasing level of high performance new home construction and existing home energy efficiency improvement happening in Vermont.

Developed by the Appraisal Institute and Building Codes Assistance Project (and since endorsed by the National Association of Home Builders), the guide explains to real estate professionals and lenders why the appraisal of high performance homes is a complex appraisal assignment and, for architects, builders, and home performance contractors, how to proactively prepare customers for loan applications and appraisals.

The Vermont Green Home Alliance also suggests that lenders encourage appraisers on their rotation lists to attend the Appraisal Institute’s Residential & Commercial Valuation of Solar course, one of three courses required for a listing on the Appraisal Institute’s Valuation of Sustainable Buildings Professional Registry (appraisers do not need to be Appraisal Institute members to be Registry listed). This course, taught by Sandra Adomatis, SRA, LEED GA, is April 28th-29th, in Concord, NH. It is approved for 15 continuing education credits in Vermont and New Hampshire.